daa2 sei2打死
Jyutpingdaa2 sei2
Yaledá séi
Definition
No matter what; even if beaten to death; used to indicate a strong unwillingness to do something.
colloquialemotiondaily actions
How it's used
This expression serves as a hyperbolic intensifier to emphasize an absolute refusal or extreme stubbornness. It functions similarly to "over my dead body" in English, conveying that the speaker would rather face severe consequences than perform the action in question. It is almost exclusively used in negative contexts involving 唔 or 冇.
Examples
He refuses to admit his mistake no matter what.
Common phrases
absolutely will not
Common mistake
Do not confuse this with the literal meaning of physical violence. It is a fixed idiomatic structure for expressing strong determination, so it should not be used to describe actual fighting or physical harm.
Grammar color guide
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Grammar guides
- Directional complementsThe small words added after a verb to show direction of movement, like up, down, out, in, and back. Common in everyday Cantonese.
- DemonstrativesThis and that with 呢 and 嗰, the personal pronouns, and how 哋 turns I, you, and he into we, you all, and they.
- Resultative complementsSticking a result word onto a verb to show how it turned out, like eat until full or look and find. A productive everyday pattern.
